From the big questions to the right tools, two data experts shared advice for organisations to manage and monitor analytics at the recent Collision conference in Las Vegas
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With the sheer amount of user data now available to organisations, how can news outlets sort through the mass of information to make sense of it?
"People are generating information at an astonishing pace," said Jason Rose, marketing lead at DataSift, speaking at the recent Collision conference in Las Vegas.
"It's big, it's messy but understanding people's attentions, what they are liking, is absolute gold."
Alongside Ben Werther, chief executive of big data analytics firm Platfora, Rose shared some advice for organisations to better manage and monitor their data.
"There's an enormous amount of data being generated... an explosion of data," said Werther.
To cut through the noise and make sense of the numbers, outlets should identify the biggest challenge or question they want to solve with the help of the data, he added.
"We look at it pretty simply, which is: What is the big struggle today?"
Rose agreed, saying it was essential to "be clear about your objective, be clear about your mission".
When gathering data, it's important for organisations to look outside "the four walls" of the company and consider how people are engaging with content off-site, said Rose.
"Are they sharing it on Facebook, are they putting it on Twitter, have they blogged about it?" he asked.
Putting these "feelers out into the world" can help outlets identify new audiences as well as "understand the broader audience" and "figure out what kind of content they're engaging with".
While outlets may not immediately have a use for all the data they collect on anything from story metrics to audience analytics, Werther noted it is "critical" to store that information safely in order to view it as and when needed.
"Every event that led to where you are now is going to be meaningful data that you're going to want to look at someday," he said.
For big events, which for news outlets might be spikes in web traffic or a large increase in social engagement, journalists may want to go back and see "the pattern that led to that outcome."
Outlets should aim to consolidate all of their data into one platform if possible, said Werther, to make it easier to cross-reference and analyse.
"We really believe that you want as much fidelity as you can," he said.
With any analytics tool, Rose said it was important to understand any limitations in the system and the data.
"Any project will only be as good as the person's understanding of your fundamental data," he explained.
"You really want to find people who are passionate about the data, and get them to show quick wins," said Werther. "You know, what can you do in two days or a week or two weeks."
Finding the right person to "drive" data as an important focus for your business strategy will encourage others to become "part of the journey," he added.
